BIOMECHANICAL CHANGES IN THIRD TRIMESTER OF PREGNANT FEMALES IN COMPARISON TO NON PREGNANT FEMALES OF SAME AGE GROUP

Abstract

Background: In pregnancy women experience several changes in body’s physiology, morphology, and hormonal system which lead to biomechanical changes for example range of motion at cervical, lumbar and gait patterns, which is considered as part of normal postural adaptations. Objective: To determine biomechanical changes in third trimester pregnant and non-pregnant women in terms of range of motion at cervical and lumbar spine, step length, stride length and speed. Methodology: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted with sample size of 210 females comprising of 69 pregnant females and 141 non pregnant females for 6 months at Railway general hospital. Non probability convenience sampling technique was used. Females with a history of back pain, 1st or 2nd trimester of pregnancy, females suffering from any degenerative disease or musculoskeletal disorders or any serious pregnancy related complication were excluded .Assessment was done using an iPhone®5S I handy level© app for measuring the ROM at the cervical and lumbar spine. A 6” by 6” POP sheet for measuring step length, stride length, and number of steps. Results: The assessment of cervical and lumbar flexion and extension ROM showed the non-pregnant females’ group hagreater range in both flexion and extension than pregnant females (P<0.01). Pregnant females presented with, decreasestep length, stride length and speed than non-pregnant females having P <0.001. Conclusion: Pregnant females had decreased range of motion at cervical and lumbar spine, decrease in speed, step and stride length was observed in comparison to the non-pregnant females of the same age group.